1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to tools of various kinds and is particularly related to a combination tool having both a wrench and a pivoted jaw clamping member with both the wrench and the clamping member being operable from a remote position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of escutcheon plates to form a finished look to the opened area in a wall, floor or ceiling through which pipes, tubes, conduits or other such structures are disposed has long been known. Most conventional escutcheon plates are generally ring-like in configuration and are adapted to surround a tubular protrusion while being secured by a lock, abutment, or threaded engagement so as to bear against the planar surface through which the tubular member has been extended.
As many conventional escutcheon plates are integrally formed in a continuous ring having a specific interior opening, they must be inserted in surrounding engagement over a tubular section before any valve, faucet, sprinkler or other enlarged portion is fitted to the end of such section. However, as it is often desirable to remove or place the escutcheon plate without having to disturb a fitting around which the plate would not pass, some escutcheon plates have been designed to be hindedly closeable about a conduit and locked or snapped into place thereabout.
Normally when working in areas that are readily accessible, such as in placing escutcheon plates on bathroom or kitchen plumbing fixtures, the hinged escutcheon plates may be manually clamped about the pipes with a minimum of effort. However, when working on ceiling fixtures, particularly those such as overhead fire extinguishing sprinkler systems which may be installed at considerable height above a floor, placement of the plates becomes much more of an effort.
That is, when applying escutcheon plates to pipes or other conduits which pass through ceilings, the workman must ascend a ladder or similar structure for each pipe and then awkwardly and precariously extend himself to a position in which the closure of the plate about a conduit or pipe may be accomplished. Not only is such application somewhat hazardous, but the effort and time factors make such method somewhat undesirable, particularly when applying escutcheon plates to sprinkler systems since sprinklers may be positioned in spaced locations throughout the ceiling area. Therefore, if such plates could be installed by a workman from a point well below the ceiling, such as by extending a tool while standing on the floor, a substantial saving in labor and time would be effectively accomplished.
In this regard, it is noted that there have been numerous structures and inventions designed and adapted to permit the fastening, gripping or handling of many objects which are remotely placed relative to a worker. Patents such as those to Baumgartner U.S. Pat. No. 1,544,124 and Turner U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,233 are but two examples of many of such structures. Although such devices have pivoted clamps or jaws which are disposed on long handles so that they can be used to grip articles remote from the operator's grasp, they are not of sufficient size or configuration to permit them to be used as a work holder or tool for the placement of escutcheon plates.
In addition to the placement of escutcheon plates to remote or hard to reach areas, the present invention is particularly suitable for use in completing the final adjustment of a pipe or conduit fixture relative to the surface through which such pipe extends and about which opening the aforementioned escutcheon plate is placed. In the installation of fire extinguishing systems in commercial or other buildings, recent use has been made of adjustable nipple drops which permit the extinguisher heads to be installed prior to the final placement of a ceiling, particularly with ceilings of the drop type.
When working with adjustable sprinkler drops, it is customary to extend the drops to a maximum length until the ceiling is finished. Thereafter the escutcheon plate may be clamped about the pipe and the drop tightened so that the sprinkler head is in engagement against the escutcheon plate.
In this regard, it would be extremely desirable to have a tool which could be utilized from a remote location to place the escutcheon plate in position as well as to adjust the drop so that the sprinkler head is abutted against the plate. Although many wrenches have been designed which can be used for the remote adjustment of a threaded member, such as that of the patent to Collins No. 1,408,444, such devices have not been provided in combination with a pivoted clamping member so that an overhead placement of an escutcheon plate and the subsequent adjustment of a pipe fixture can be made with a single tool.
Further, when working with a sprinkler drop or similar fixture, in order to maintain the tool handle in a generally axial relationship to the member being rotated, the opening of the wrenching tool should be aligned therewith. By providing for a tool which will circumvent the sprinkler head and thereby permit the wrench to engage the nut portion of such sprinkler while maintaining the handle in axial alignment with the sprinkler drop, a simple rotational movement of the handle about its axis is all that is required to effect adjustment of the drop.